Electric clock.



No. 7I0,829. Patented Oct. 7, I902.

W. F. WINSLOW.

ELECTRIC CLOCK,

(Application fllcd Oct. 19, 1901.)

3 Shuts-Shout 2.

(In Iudel.)

ghtu s N0. 7|0,829. Patented Oct. 7, I902. W. F. WINSLOW.

ELECTRIC CLOCK (Appliution Med Oct. 19, 1901.) (lo lodol.) 3 Shanta-Shoat 3.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

\VILLIAM FLETCHER WINSLOW, OF WVINSTED, CONNECTICUT.

ELECTRIC CLOCK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 710,829, dated October 7, 1902.

Application filed October 19.1901. erial No. 79,293. (No model.)

To a. whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM FLETCHER WINSLOW, a citizen of the United States, residing at Winsted, in the county of Litchfield and State of Connecticut, have invented a new and useful Electrical Clock, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to certain improvements in that class of clocks which are driven or wound by electrical energy, and particularly to clocks in which a spring is wound by an electromagnet at predetermined intervals, the spring acting to keep the clockwork in motion during the periods between the operations of the magnet.

One of the principal objects of the invention is to provide an improved form of circuit-closing device by which the energizingcircuit of the electromagnet may be closed at regular intervals.

A further object of the invention is to simplify and improve the construction of the intermittent winding mechanism and to improve,simplify, and cheapen the construction of the device as a whole, as more fully set forth hereinafter.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional elevation of Fig. 4:, illustrating an improved electrical clock constructed and arranged in accordance with my invention. Figs. 2 and 3 are views of portions of the device illustrated in Fig. 1, showing the parts in different positions. Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the device looking from the left of Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a detail perspective View illustrating the more important members for opening and closing the magnetenergizing circuit. Fig. 6 is a detail sectional view on the line 6 6 of Fig. 2, illustrating the mounting of one of the members of the circuitcloser. Fig. 7 is a similar view on the line 7 7 of Fig. at, illustrating the connections of the spring employed for actuating the clocktrain during the intervals between the operations of the magnet. Fig. 8 is a View of a modification.

Referring to the drawings, 5 5 represent the front and rear plates of a clock-frame, in which all of the operating parts are mounted. The frame is braced and strengthened by the usual transversely-disposed bolts and sleeves 6. Intheframeismountedtheusualsecondswheel shaft 7 of an ordinary clock-train, said shaft extending out through the frame and dial and carrying the minute-hand, as usual. The dial and hands have not yet been shown in the drawings in order to avoid confusion; but these may be of any ordinary character. On the shaft 7 is loosely mounteda sleeve or socket 8, to which is secured a toothed ratchetwheel 9, carrying at one side a barrel 10, in which is situated a spiral spring 11 of the type usually employed for actuating watches. One end of the spring is secured to theinner face of the barrel, and the oppositeend of said spring is secured to a hook on the shaft 7, the unwinding of the spring efiecting the rotation of said shaft and imparting movement to the clock-train. The ratchet-wheel 9 can move only in one direction, any movement in the reverse direction being prevented by a pawl 13, arranged at the end of a bar 14, carried by a rock-shaft 15, having its opposite ends adapted to suitable bearings in the plates 5. The shaft is provided with a coiled torsion -spring 16, one end of which is secured to the shaft and the opposite end being adj ustably secured to a fixed post by a screw 17. The pawl-bar 14 passes through a diametral slot in the shaft 15 and is threaded for the greater portion of its length, suit able adjusting-nuts 18 and 19 being mounted on the threaded portion of the pawl-bar and situated one on each side of the rockshaft 15. The construction is such as to permit of any necessary adjustment of the pawl-bar with respect to the ratchet-wheel and with respect to the actuating-pawl 20, which revolves said wheel. The actuatingpawl 20 is pivoted at its rear end to a vertically-disposed rock-bar or arm 21, the end of the pawl-bar being provided with an inclined face or shoulder 22, against which bears the free end of a plate-spring 23, carried by the arm 21, the tendency of the spring being to keep the pawl-tooth at all times in engagement with the ratchet-wheel. The arm 21 is secured to a rock-shaft 24, adapted to suitable bearings in the opposite side plates, and said shaft is provided with a torsion-spring 25, having one of its ends secured to the shaft and its opposite end being passed through an opening 26 in a stud or post 27 and confined in place by a screw 28. The spring will normally tend to throw the upper end of the arm 21 toward the ratchet-wheel, and it also serves to withdraw from the pole-pieces of an electromagnet 29 an armature 30, secured to the lower portion of the arm 21 at a point below the rock-shaft 24. The outward movement of the armature and the extent of movement of the pawl is governed by an adjustable screw 31, carried by one of the transverse bars of the frame and adapted for contact with the lower portion of the arm 21 or a separate piece secured to said arm. In the operation of this portion of the mechanism each time the electromagnet is energized it will attract the armature 30, causing, through the pawl 20, a partial rotation of the ratchetwheel 9, and this movement, while preferably only to the extent of one tooth at each operation, may be made to extend over two or more teeth by the proper adjustment of the screw 31. The pawl 13 will hold the ratchetwheel in any position to which it is moved, and the turning of said ratchetwheel by causing a partial winding of the spring 12 will supply sufficient power to rotate the seconds-wheel shaft 7 and the clock-train until the next movement of the armature.

The seconds-wheel shaft is connected by a suitable train of gearing to the arbor 32 of an escapement-wheel 33, said arbor carrying, as usual, the seconds-hand at a' suitable point on the dial of the clock. At a suitable point above the escapement-wheel is an arbor 34, carrying an anchor 35 for engagement with the escapement-wheel, and a regulating-pendulum 36, these devices being of the character ordinarily employed in clock-trains.

On the escapement-arbor 32 is secured a disk 37, having a peripheral notch 38, said disk making one complete rotation each minute, and said disk serves to support a pin 39, projecting laterally from an arm40, said arm being secured to a rock-shaft 41, having bearings in the frame. The pin 39 is preferably formed of glass of some equivalent non-conducting material, or the pm may be of metal and the disk 37 be formed of glass or similar material. In order to properly insulate the arm 40 from the shaft 41, a collet 42, of insulating material, is first placed upon the shaft, and on said collet is mounted a ring 43, having a peripheral groove 44 for the reception of the end of the arm 40, said end being in the form of an annulus and confined in place by a screw 45. In order to keep the pin 39 in contact with the disk and to depress said pin into the notch 38 when in alinement therewith, I provide for the shaft 41 a suitable torsion-spring 48, having one of its ends secured to the shaft and its opposite end being confined to the frame by a screw 49. The outer end of the arm 40 is provided at a point below the pin 39 and the escapement-arbor with a depending cam arm 50, having a curved lower face adapted to be engaged by a pin 51, projecting laterally from a depending arm 52, the upper end of which is advi sze justably secured within a guiding-box 53, se-

cured to the arbor 34. The arm is adjusted vertically in said box 53 and may be locked at the same time to counterbalance the weight of the box and the arm 52, I provide a comparatively heavy set-screw 55, adapted to a threaded opening on that portion of the box opposite the said arm 52.

56 designates a battery or other source of electrical energy, from one pole of which leads a conducting-wire 57, connected to the ring 43, the cam forming one terminal of the circuit. From the opposite pole of the battery extends a wire 58, which after passing through the electromagnets 29 is connected at 59 or at some other convenient point to the metallic frame of the clock, the circuit extending through the clock-frame to the pin 51, which forms the opposite terminal of the circuit. In the operation of this portion of the device the disk 37 is rotated once each minute, its peripheral notch 38 being brought into alinement at minute intervals with the pin 39, allowing the arm 40 to fall and cansing the cam 50 to come into mechanical and electrical contact with the pin 51, closing the circuit and energizing the electromagnets. The immediate result of this operation is to cause the pawl 20 to turn the ratchet-wheel 9 to the extent of one tooth, the spring being wound to an extent sufficient to keep the train of gears running until the next operation of the magnet. The arm 52 being connected to the arbor 34, the next beat of the pendulum 36 will move the pin 51 under the cam-arm, raising said cam-arm to the position shown in-Fig. 2 and elevating the pin 39 a slight distance above the periphery of the disk 37. The next movement of the disk will move the notch out of alinement with the pin 39, andthe latter will then rest upon the periphery of said disk until the latter has again completed a revolution.

In order to provide for the operation of an electrical clock at a distance or for the operation of a number of clocks synchronously,

the lower end of the arm 23 is provided with a contact-finger 60, which may be arranged in any suitable manner in connection with an electrical circuit in which said clocks are situated, the circuit being closed each minute and the hands of such clocks being moved once each minute.

As a modification of the device the minutehand 61 of the clock may be directly connected to the sleeve 8, as shown in Fig. 8, and as the ratchet-wheel has sixty teeth said minutehand will receive a movement over the face of the dial for a distance representing an interval of a minute each time the electromagnet is energized. In such case the secondswheel would only have to operate the escapement and its connected parts.

Although the structure herein described is the preferred form, it is obvious that many changes in the form, proportions, size, and minor details of construction may be made within the scope of the claims without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is" 1. In an electric clock, a circuit-closing device comprising a notched rotatable disk, an arm, a pin thereon adapted to enter said notch, a cam carried by said arm, pendulum actuating mechanism, and means actuated thereby to engage said cam and effect the closing of the circuit and to disengage the pin from the notch.

2. In an electrical clock, a circnit closing device comprising a notched rotatable disk, an arm having a pin for engagement with said notched disk, a cam carried by said arm, and an oscillating lever or arm connected to the escapement and adapted to coact with said cam to effect a disengagement of the pin from the notch and simultaneously to effect the closing of the circuit.

3. In an electric clock, a circuit-closing device comprising a notched disk, a pivoted arm, a pin carried thereby and adapted to engage with said notched disk, a cam carried by the arm and forming one terminal of an electric circuit, a lever carried by the anchor-arbor of the escapement, a pin carried by said lever and forming the second terminal of the circuit, said pin being adapted for engagement with said cam to effect the disengagement of the notch-engaging pin, substantially as specified.

4. In an electric clock, a circuit-closing device comprising in combination, an escapement-wheel arbor, a notched disk secured to and rotating with said arbor, a pivoted lever or arm, a pin carried thereby and adapted for engagement with said notched disk, a depending cam carried by the arm and having a lower curved face, said cam forming one terminal of an electric circuit, and means actuated by the escapement for causing the disengagement of said pin from the notch, substantially as specified.

5. In an electric clock, a circuit-closing device comprising an escapement-wheel arbor, a notched disk carried thereby, a pivoted arm, a pin on said arm for engagement with said notched disk, a cam carried by the arm, an anchor-arbor, an adjustable carrier thereon, an arm or lever depending from said carrier and oscillating with the arbor, a counterbalancing-screw arranged on the arbor at a point opposite said arm or lever, and a pin carried by the lower end of said arm or lever and adapted for engagement with the cam to effect a disengagement of the notch-engagin g pin, substantially as specified.

6. In an electric clock, a circuit-closing device comprising an escapement arbor, a notched disk carried thereby, a pin adapted for engagement with said disk, one of such engaging members being formed of insulating material, a rock-shaft, a sleeve carried thereby and insulated from said rock-shaft, an arm secured to said sleeve and carrying the disk engaging pin, a cam depending from said arm and forming one terminal of an electric circuit, an anchor-arbor, a carrier or box mounted on said arbor and adjustable circumferentially thereon, a counterbalancing and locking screw for holding said carrier or box in an adjusted position, an arm or lever vertically adjustable in said carrier or box, and a pin carried by said lever and forming the opposite terminal of the electric circuit said pin being adapted for engagement with said cam to close the circuit and to effect the disengagement of the notch-engaging pin, substantially as specified.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto aflixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM FLETCHER WINSLOW.

\Vitnesses:

BURTON IIUMPHREY, BENTLEY T. PRATT. 

